Dear UFCW Local 455 Kroger Members,
Store Closures: Massive Displacement Across the Region
Kroger’s sudden, permanent closure of entire locations has displaced hundreds of workers and affected families across our communities. Workers affected by these closures have been forced to transfer to other stores or find other employment. For many, transferring has also meant competing for fewer available hours. Kroger agreed to effects bargaining with your Union (mandatory bargaining over the effects of the closures and changes), but never agreed to help displaced workers in any of the Bargaining Meetings.
In effects negotiations with Kroger, your Union has proposed a number of solutions, including allowing displaced workers to be exempt from wage cuts and loss of healthcare. After 8 effects bargaining meetings, Kroger has yet to agree to these protections or any other, all while maintaining that all of these changes did not result in less hours for the employees.
KEY FACTS
- 8 stores permanently closed
- 474 workers displaced
- 538,000+ hours removed per year
- 9 departments eliminated (this includes subdepartments and meat cases)
- 8 effects bargaining meetings with no bargained outcomes for any displaced workers
Bargaining Unit Work Lost: Over 538,000 Hours Gone Per Year
Store closures are only part of the story. Kroger’s forced operational changes are systematically stripping hours away from our bargaining unit. Across our locations, over 538,000 hours have been permanently cut per year. Nearly 283,000 of those hours came from changes involving 3rd Party Vendor cut fruit and vegetables and Pepsi/Gatorade stocking, with thousands more hours lost through the removal of floor scrubbing , the juicing program, as well as the implementation of digital tags and reducing Starbucks’ hours of operation, all removing work from our members.
These are not just numbers. Every hour removed represents work that a UFCW 455 member could have performed—wages and healthcare that a member could have earned.
Department Closures: Forced Displacement Across Our Stores
Management’s aggressive department shutdowns continue to destabilize our workforce with the elimination of Murray’s Cheese, Meat cases, Starbucks and Apparel. These closures have displaced union workers and eliminated the hours associated with those departments. Workers who remain with Kroger have often had to transfer to other departments or stores to find enough available hours to maintain their wages and benefits.
Taken together, these store closures, department changes, and lost bargaining unit hours show the real cost of Kroger’s decisions. While the Company saves money by removing work, workers and their families lose opportunities to earn the wages and healthcare benefits they depend on.
The Cost of Kroger’s Forced Changes
“I used to get 30 hours or more each week, but when stores K600 and K607 closed and our store got extra people from the store closures, my hours were cut down to around 20 hours.”
Alizaye P. • Store K740
“I previously worked at store K275 before it closed [where] management… provided me with a sufficient number of hours. After being transferred to store K748…I was scheduled only 17 hours…[when] my contract guarantees a minimum of 20 hours… I had to contact the union…”
Victorya S. • Store K395
We Want to Hear From You
Have store or department closures affected you?
Tell us how store/department closures and lost bargaining unit work have changed your job, your hours, and your future at Kroger.
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